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ACT Math 4.2 Elementary Algebra 301 Views


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Description:

ACT Math Elementary Algebra Drill 4, Problem 2. Solve for x.

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:02

Time for your daily dose of Shmoop. This won't hurt a bit.

00:06

Solve for x: the absolute value of x plus 1 all over 2... is less than 3.

00:12

And here are the potential answers...

00:19

It's yet another absolutely fabulous... absolute value question.

00:22

Let's start by ignoring the absolute value lines and solve as if they were all positive numbers.

00:28

We multiply both sides by 2 to get x plus 1 is less than 6.

00:32

Subtract 1 from both sides and we have x is less than 5, so our potential answers are

00:36

only B and C.

00:38

Now let's figure out what this problem would be if x were the most negative it could be.

00:43

What would make things under the absolute value lines to equal NEGATIVE 3?

00:47

We'd have x plus 1 over 2 is less than negative 3, but with no absolute value lines now.

00:53

We multiply both sides by 2 and we have x plus 1 is less than negative 6.

00:57

Then subtract 1 from both sides and we have x is less than negative 7.

01:01

So we have a positive 5 and a negative 7 as the range here.

01:05

Which is... this range... and our answer is C.

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